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Harlies, Rough-legged Hawk, etc. on CHBC trip



The intrepid birders joining the Chapel Hill Bird Club's annual MLK weekend
eastern NC trip led by Doug Shadwick enjoyed the nice (but a bit chilly)
weather and found or relocated some nice birds over the 3-day weekend.  I
joined the group Sunday morning at the Swan Quarter ferry landing.  The
group had already done Mattamuskeet locating the Western Kingbird, Baltimore
Orioles, and a sleepy little Eastern Screech Owl hanging out in a wood duck
box.

The ferry trip was pleasant with the wind following the boat.  Pamlico Sound
produced many, many scoters, probably thousands of surf and a few hundred
black.  We also spotted a few Oldsquaw (I know, I know, you want me to sat
Long-tailed Duck.  I refuse). After lunch at Howard's Pub on Ocracoke we hit
the point at Cape Hatteras where a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls (including
a rather dark backed individual, close to the same mantle color as the
adjacent GBBG's ) were highlights.

After dinner and a night in Manteo, we birded Pea Island this morning.  Best
bird was an American Bittern Doug flushed from the little turtle pond behind
the restrooms.  On to Oregon Inlet where we discovered two female plumaged
HARLEQUIN DUCKS swimming out from under the bridge pilings at the south end
of Bonner Bridge.  The birds crossed the "bay" in front of the old Cost
Guard slips and hung around the groin a bit before flying back to the bridge
pilings.  Check the bridge pilings from the catwalks or the rocks along the
groin for these birds.

Bodie Island added some shorebirds including Long-billed Dowitcher
chattering away in a feeding flock just a few yards away.

The trip ended at Alligator River NWR where the target was Rough-legged
Hawk.  After seeing Bald Eagles, dozens of Red-tails and Harriers, and
dodging a steam roller and bulldozer, a decent sized hawk with a slight
dihedral and two "landing light" white spots on the leading edge of the
wings appeared.  Yep, the ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, a lifer for some and state bird
for others.  In fact I knocked off 3 state birds in 3 hours! Kinda nice.

We had a great time, so mark your calendar for next year and if you haven't
already, join the CHBC!

Best,
Steve Shultz
Apex, NC